Production of certain alkaline earth metal compounds, including those which can be employed as a componen in dry batteries, for example, magnesium tetrafluoroborate and magnesium hexafluorophosphate, espeeially in dry batteries of the "button" variety such as disclosed, for example, by Dey in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,658 (1976), can be problematical at best. For example, typical ion exchange procedures, which any person skilled in the art might attempt to employ to prepare such compounds or compounds of even a more exotic nature such as alkaline earth metal boron organic compounds, by cation exchange of a corresponding alkali metal compound for the alkaline earth are generally ill-suited for, or even inoperative in, such production. Huff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,855,353 (1958), discloses a particular process for preparing certain alkaline earth metal borohydrides such as those of magnesium or calcium, which employs a mercury or mercuric cathode and a non-aqueous solvent such as ammonia, pyridine, certain amines or higher ethers such as polyethylene glycol dimethyl ethers.
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art might attempt to employ another procedure should he desire such alkaline earth metal compounds, especially in any kind of practical quantity or quality. Heretofore, a serious lack and a certain need in the art included a process which can efficiently prepare, or even provide, such alkaline earth metal compounds.